WD97: Insert WordArt/AutoShape Opens Blank Picture Object (172818)

SYMPTOMS

When you insert a WordArt or AutoShape object in an HTML document, a blank Word picture object is opened.

NOTE: This problem occurs whether you use the Insert menu or the Drawing toolbar to insert the WordArt or AutoShape object.

CAUSE

This problem is a design limitation of the OLE implementation of inserting a picture object in an HTML document.

This problem occurs after the Web Page Authoring Tools Update is installed. The version of the Web Page Authoring Tools Update is 3.0.4405.0. To check the version of the HTML Update in Word, follow these steps:

In Word, open an HTML document.
On the Help menu, click About Microsoft Word.
Click System Info.
Click Active Modules.
Under Module Name, find HTML and note the version number.

If the version number is 3.0.4405.0, you have the Web Page Authoring Tools Update installed.

NOTE: This behavior does not occur in Word 2000.

WORKAROUND

When you are in the blank picture object, use one of the following methods:

To insert a WordArt object, click the Insert WordArt button again.

-or-
To insert an AutoShape object, click the AutoShape button again, point to the style of AutoShape, and then click the AutoShape you want. Draw the AutoShape in the blank Word Picture object as you want.

NOTE: After inserting the WordArt or AutoShape object in the blank Word Picture object, you must click the Reset Picture Boundary button on the Edit Picture toolbar before you click Close Picture.

MORE INFORMATION

After you install the Web Page Authoring Tools Update, two new options will be installed on the Insert menu when you point to Picture. Both WordArt and AutoShape will be available to insert into an HTML document. These objects cannot exist in an HTML document without being contained in a picture object.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

163299 WD97: Web Page Authoring Tools AutoUpdate